Joy King Lau

£11 - £25 / Chinese, Vegetarian options

3 Leicester St, London

Opening hours

12PM-11PM

Sunday 11:30AM-10PM
Monday 12PM-11PM
Tuesday 12PM-11PM
Wednesday 12PM-11PM
Thursday 12PM-11PM
Friday 12PM-11PM
Saturday 12PM-11PM

Exquisite Dim Sum Paired with Swift Service

Ah, Joy King Lau, that ever-divisive corner of Cantonese delight in Chinatown, snug against the hubbub of Leicester Square. On entering, you're met with an unequivocal melange of past and present: think slightly cramped tables, with decor kind-of bridging the gap between charmingly traditional and needing a bit of love. Whether you've frequently dined here over the years or popped in due to a vehement TikTok recommendation, like myself, there's no denying its prowess in dim sum. Bearing witness to a classic tea service - though you'd be brow-raising at the fact that a pot runs you a not-insignificant £7.5 - I reveled in the genuine taste experience, from Har Gau to some delicious, supremely flaky egg custard tarts.

To say the service veers between supremely efficient and Winona Ryder volatile might sound melodramatic, but it adds layers to the drama of your culinary theatre. I’ll admit, being slightly curt (in the time-honoured tradition found anywhere West End-adjacent) doesn’t seem surprising here, particularly as locals and tourists alike try to scoot tables together to accommodate a rambunctious, post-matinée gang. The duck arrives splendidly crispy, with transcendental bursts of umami. Every so often, though, amid piled-up plates threatening a Game of Thrones-esque joust for space on your table, the staff emerges attentive and surprisingly warm, like bemused grandparents finally bearing pies from an oven, once overcome by grand imaginings in their kitchens. All told, Joy King Lau offers theatrical highs and lows—for those who savour such a frenzy, it's a must. For others craving serene banter alongside flavoursome Cantonese wares? Proceed with selective nostalgia weaponry and coax any similar cynics along for the adventure. Bon app—no, sum suan fu! — Milo Tastemaker